Apparatus for placing concrete or other materials



Sept. 24, 1940. G. F. SWARTHOUT APPARATUS FOR PLACING CONCRETE OR OTHER MATERIALS Filed Feb. 24, 1936 IN\ 'ENTOR.- Y zfa/d Jamar/flaw Patented Sept. 24, 1940 PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR. PLACING CONCRETE OR OTHER MATERIALS Gerald F. Swarthout, Ludington, Mich, assignor to Electric Tamper & Equipment Company,

Ludington, Mich.

Application February 24, 1936, Serial No. 65,438

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for placing concrete or other materials.

The main objects of this invention are: First, to provide an apparatus for the placing 5 of concrete or other materials which'is highly efficient and convenient to manipulate, and may be operated at lowcost.

Second, to provide an apparatus of this character which has a very wide scope of operation.

Third, to provide an apparatus for vibratory placement of concrete and the like which may be operated on materials in very restricted positions.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claim.

A structure which embodies the features of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

2 Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of an apparatus embodying my invention, partially in section and partially shown in conventional form, no attempt having been made to show the parts in their relative dimensions.

. 25- Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in longitudinal central section of the implement portion of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view partially in longitudinal section showing details of the handle and the feed and return or exhaust connections for the hydraulic motor.

Inthe embodiment of my invention illustrated, I provide a vibratory implement designated generally by the numeral l consisting of an elongated tubular casing housing the vibrating means. This vibrating means consists of a hydraulic motor, the rotor 2 of which is conventionally illustrated. This rotor is connected to a vibrating element consisting in the preferred embodiment illustrated of a cylindrical member 3 mounted on the shaft and having an unbalancing weight 4 mounted interiorly, this being preferably a segmental cast lead weight.

The shaft 5 is mounted in roller bearings 50 within the casing, the rotor shaft proper 5| being also supported in bearings 52 within the casing. The shaft 5 of the unbalancing weight is, in effect, an extension of the shaft 52 of the rotor, being connected thereto by the sleeve 50 coupling 53.

The casing is closed and is adapted to be submerged in the material being treated such as concrete, or for the placement of gravel, granular or other plastic materials where it is desired 55 to compact and eliminate or minimize voids.

The casing is closed not only to exclude external matter from the outside but also so that it serves as a lubricant chamber for the purposes hereinafter pointed out.

The casing comprises a section of tubing 6 5 having a lower end member 1 preferably rounded or curved and shouldered to fit within the lower end of the tubular body portion of the easing and suitably secured therein. This lower end or tip member has radially disposed fins 8.

At its upper end, the casing is provided with a chambered end member 9 shouldered and threaded within the upper end of the casing. The cylindrical portion 54 of the motor is mounted within the casing and has a central inlet 55 and an exhaust 56.

The rotor 2 is provided with a packing 51 at its lower end. The bearing 52 is mounted in a suitable recess provided therefor in the cylindrical member 58.

fluid is supplied to the hydraulic motor through the pressure feed conduit 2!] which has a section 2! disposed within the tubular handle 22, this handle being secured to the upper end of the casing by means of the coupling 23.

At the upper end of the handle is a branched coupling 24 which constitutes a part of the feed conduit, as, best shown in Fig. 3. The handle constitutes a part of the return or exhaust conduit 25 and the interior of the casing is in communication with this return conduit. g

It is not only difficult in practice to pack the moving parts of the motor so that there will be no leakage into the lower part of the casing but it is desirable to have some of the fluid escape into the lower part of the casing so as to properly lubricate the hearings or keep them fully submerged in lubricant. However, to prevent undue pressure on these parts, the casing is connected to the return or exhaust conduit so that while lubricant escapes into the casing in the embodiment illustrated only by leakage, the casing is connected, as stated, to the exhaust conduit.

Inasmuch as the unbalancing member rotates in the hydraulic fluid, I have provided the cylindrical vibrating element with an internal unbalancing weight. This avoids a beating or churning action upon the hydraulic fluid and unnecessary resistance such as might result if an exposed unbalancing Weight were mounted upon the shaft.

I have not illustrated details of the hydraulic motor as such details form no part of this invention. It is, however, preferably a high speed motor-that is, one at which the rotor rotates at high frequency and owing to the rotation of the vibrating element therewith, high frequency vibrations are imparted to the casing or implement as a whole.

The hydraulic fluid which is, as stated, preferably oil, is delivered through the conduit 20 under high pressure by means of the pressure pump 26, the pump illustrated being of the gear type. An expansion chamber 27 is-connected'to the pressure feed conduit at the rear or delivery side of the pump, this expansion chamber being an air-tight chamber and havinga pressure gauge 28 and an air space or chamber above the fluid indicated at 30. The pump is driven from a motor 3i through a suitable belt connection 32. I have conventionally shown an electric motor but in practice an electric motor or gasoline or other engine may be employed and the expansion chamber is particularly desirable where an internal combustion engine is employed as it absorbs the impulses commonly resulting from an internal combustion engine of the single cylinder or two-cylinder types most available on Work for which this implement is intended.

The exhaust or return connection 25 is connected to the intake of the pump and I provide in this connection a combined sump and vacuum chamber 33, this being a closed chamber and in direct communication with the return and inlet to the pump. It is found in practice 'that a substantial vacuum is maintained in this chamber when the apparatus is in operation-for example, in the applicants commercial embodiment it is found that a satisfactory working pressure is about 30 to pounds, and under such conditions it is found that a vacuum of from 18 to 25 inches is maintained in the combined sump and Vacuum chamber and this is most helpful in reducing friction through the return hose and the chamber provides a reserve supply of fluid on the intake side of the pump which is quite essential. The maintenance of the vacuum in this part of the circulating system enables the operation of the machine at low operating pressure and with higher efficiency. It substantially reduces the return friction and stresses and the combined action of the expansion chamber and the vacuum sump chamber associated with the pump, as illustrated, results in very uniform feed pressures and speed of the motor.

To prevent excessive pressures within the feed line such as might occur in the event of kinking of the hose in the conduits or other obstructions, I provide a by-pass or shunt connection 34 from the pressure feed or delivery side of the pump to the inlet side thereof. This by-passis provided with a relief valve 35 which is held under seating pressure by means of the spring 36. The tension of the spring may be adjusted as by the adjusting of the spring seating nut 3! on the stem of the valve, the stem being threaded as indicated for this purpose. Where it is aimed to maintain a working pressure of from 60 to 65 pounds which has been found to be satisfactory or efiicient, the relief valve may be set to open under a pressure substantially above this figure and should be sufiiciently high to permit substantial variations in the pressure but at the same time low enough to permit the valve to open in the event of stoppage under conditions such .asindicated.

With. thisv arrangement of parts a closed circuit is provided, the fluid, preferably oil as stated, being repeatedly passed through the pump and delivered under required pressure todrive the motor: at suitable speed. The sump chamber is provided with a cover 38 through which the fluid may be introduced or replenished. The flexible portions of the conduits are of suitable length to permit freedom of manipulation and: wide range of manipulation of the instrument. The

casing may be of relatively small diameter, thus.

adapting the apparatus for use in placement of concrete in restricted spaces. The structure is also adapted'for use in settling granular or other materials, although it is primarily: designed for the treatment and placement of concrete.

I: have not in the accompanying drawing attempted to illustrate parts in their relative proportions, and certain of. the partsare shownconventionally. Neither have I attempted to illustrate or describe other adaptations or embodiments of my invention, as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may bedesired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

An apparatus for treating plastic materials comprising a casing adapted to be submerged in the material being treated and adaptedto contain a lubricant, a hydraulic motor'mounted in.

the casing and provided with at rotor having bearings within saidicasing; and a' shaft operatively associatedwith said rotor and having-bearings within said casing, said shaft being provided. witha cylindrical vibrating element hav-- ing an internal unbalancing weight;

GERALD F. SWARTHOUT. 

